READ PSALM 19:7-11
The second portion of Psalm 19 focus on the “Law of the LORD”. The Old Testament authors had several different ways that they would use “law”. Sometimes it stood for the moral law or the 10 commandments received by Moses, other times it stood for the first five books of the Bible known as the Pentateuch, and other times it stands for the entire Old Testament, or all of what God had revealed of himself at that time. In this Psalm, the “law” most likely refers to the last of these usages, all of what God had revealed of himself at that time.
David has a very positive view of the law of the LORD and he goes to great lengths in explaining all of the various ways that God’s revelation is good, true, and beautiful. This goodness, truth, and beauty is reflected in God’s revelation because it is fundamentally a reflection of who God is. Just as the creation has demonstrated the majesty and generosity of God, the Law continues to reveal him as good, true, and beautiful. There is no flaw that can be found in all of what God has revealed about himself and there is nothing on earth more valuable than the “law of the LORD”.
Yet, there seems to be a slight disconnect with what this Psalm says and what we naturally think about who God is and how he has revealed himself. Naturally, we are skeptical, critical, and place ourselves in the seat of judgement over God’s revelation. Romans 8 tells us that this is not due to any defect in the law itself, but because of the weakness of our flesh. While the law is good, true, and beautiful, it does not have the power to redeem. Instead, it points to the redeemer: Jesus. This is how Jesus fulfills the law. His life, death, resurrection, and ascension serve as the total and complete fulfillment of God’s revelation and is the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem his people and to bless the nations through them. Apart from God revealing himself in the law and in creation, we would be totally ignorant about this beautiful reality.
Questions
How should Christians think about “the law of the LORD”?
What are some of the ways that Scripture has been precious to you?
What is the danger of looking to the law without seeing Jesus?
How does God’s word fill your life? What are some other things that you fill your life with instead?